Rocklin et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,264 describes the antioxidant use of several 3,5-dialkyl-4-hydroxybenzyl-substituted benzene compounds such as 2,4,6-tri(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) mesitylene. They are made by the reaction of 2,6-dialkyl-4-hydroxymethyl phenols with a benzene compound in an inert solvent at -15.degree. to 100.degree. C. in the presence of sulfuric acid or a Friedel Crafts catalyst. Shin U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,488 shows the same reaction except using an organic sulfonic acid catalyst and distilling water from the reaction.
Gurvich et al. G.B. 1,327,542 discloses a process for making 2,4,6-tri(3,5-dialkyl-4-hydroxybenzyl)benzenes by reacting a 2,6-dialkyl-4-methoxymethylphenol with an alkylbenzene compound in an inert solvent in the presence of an acidic catalyst such as sulfuric acid or toluene sulfonic acid. In Example 7, Gurvich et al. used 3.1 moles of toluene sulfonic acid per mole of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxymethylphenol. In a commercial operation this presents a severe spent acid disposal problem. However, merely reducing the amount of sulfonic acid results in a reaction wherein less than all of the reactive positions on the benzene compound become substituted. In the case of mesitylene and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxymethylphenol, lowering the amount of sulfonic acid gives a product which contains both mono- and di-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) substituted mesitylene by-products, making it unacceptable for commercial sale. Thus, a need exists for a process which allows reduction in the amount of acid used as catalyst and at the same time gives a product suitable for commercial use.